Kerosene-scorched ground in a meadow at Brix

Summary

In October 1989, a Norman farmer discovered an irregularly shaped scorched patch in his meadow: nearly 17 metres long and 4 wide, the soil blackened, bare of vegetation, and sunken 10 to 15 centimetres. A neighbour reported his dog behaving unusually during the night and seeing a beam of light over the field. Analysis showed the ground had been burned to a depth of 2–3 cm and contained kerosene residue, suggesting an aircraft may have dumped fuel that ignited upon crossing a high-voltage power line. Sparks and a large blue flame, typical of hydrocarbon combustion, supported this theory.

Officially the case was treated as a conventional fire, but the convergence of elements—the nocturnal light, the dog's behaviour, the presence of kerosene—left open questions. SEPRA's investigation did not entirely rule out an unconventional phenomenon, though the case was closed without a definitive explanation.